Darkness And Light - Two Sides Of The Same Coin?

And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness.

And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day." Genesis 1:3-5 (K.J.V.)

Darkness and light are always placed together even though they are opposite. Some see darkness and light as two sides of the same coin. They believe that though they are different, like heads and tails on a coin, they are still two parts of one whole, like heads and tails on a coin. This suggests that darkness and light balance each other, that they have the same power and that one does not have dominion over the other. But is this true?

The 'Yin Yang' (which translates 'dark light') symbol that is used in Taoism. Taoism basically believes that opposites cannot exist without each other. | Source

Getting Used To The Dark by Vance Havner

The audio of the video above may be a bit distorted but please give it a chance, it is a valuable teaching.

Darkness

Darkness is often associated with fear. Perhaps this is because evil things can happen in the dark and no one can witness it. What you cannot see, you cannot be sure of right? Darkness also is associated with the state of ignorance because, again, not being able to see all that is around you means that you cannot know about all that is around you. It is also known to be a good hiding place and so secrets are often associated with darkness as well. It is a known fact that when a place is in darkness, it is cooler than when it is light.

Some people hate the dark but others love it. Mankind, on a whole, has gotten used to the dark. And though the light is something that is needed, people tend to feel more relaxed in the dark.

Light

Light, when it is present, shows everything. Nothing is hidden in the light. This is what makes light and dark so completely opposite. One can say that light brings clarity or one can say that light brings truth. Sometimes light can be glaring and hurt our eyes. It is bright and it glows and it brings warmth. It is actually proven that when in the presence of light, dark colors can cause one to be hotter than usual, this is because dark colors attract heat. It would appear that light seems to burn up darkness in any shape or form when it is present. Light causes actual darkness to flee when it shows itself. Darkness cannot exist when light is present.

What about shadows?

Don't shadows occur when a room is filled with light?

Shadows occur when light is blocked by an image - whether it be a person, animal or thing - the shadow that occurs is behind the image, in effect, "hiding" from the light. Light, therefore, may appear to exist with darkness but they are never in the exact same place at the same time.

Two Sides Of The Same Coin?

Are darkness and light at odds with each other or are they simply contrasts that must exist with each other in order to exist?

I believe that they are at odds with each other and I also believe that they are not equal to each other either. The Bible says, in the book of John that darkness does not comprehend light (John 1:5) therefore if darkness cannot comprehend light then they cannot be related at all can they?

"And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full.

This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth..." 1 John 1:4-6 (K.J.V.)

God is called light in the Book of 1John. If God is light and there is no darkness in Him at all then that means that light is good and darkness is evil. Good and evil are two opposites just like light and darkness. But I do not believe that they are two sides of the same coin. Can good exist without evil? I believe so. Though some may argue that good shows what evil is, it is quite possible that goodness can bear fruit and indeed will bear better fruit without evil present.

Also, if evil and good and darkness and light were two sides of the same coin then one would have to argue that God is both light and darkness and evil and good. God - the great and Almighty God, the one and only true and living Father, the Creator of Heaven and Earth - is not evil and is not darkness therefore this argument does not hold water.

Yet some do argue that evil and good, and I suppose darkness and light are relative and can be varied from one person to another.

The Book of Isaiah (Chapter 5:20) says concerning this:

"Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!"

Darkness Vs Light - Which Will Win?

Darkness and Light do fight with each other but it is proven that darkness is weaker than light because at the hint of a suggestion of light, darkness flees. This is why it is obvious that Light is stronger than darkness and will prevail. When Light, the true Light of the world does face down darkness, there will be nowhere for darkness to run save for the place where light sends it.

Indeed, the Light is preparing the world so that there will be nothing and no one left for it to hide behind.

"And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone." Revelation 19: 20

"And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever." Revelation 20: 10 (K.J.V.)

Comments

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sending

Ioannis Arvanitis

12 months agofrom Greece, Almyros

Sometimes darkness can show you the light... Good effort my friend!

Jane Ramona Rynkiewicz Frieman

4 years agofrom Morris County, New Jersey

Dear North Wind

I find it fascinating that the other day I discovered a writer writing on HubPages who summons up the "Dark Muse" to motivate her creative process. On the other hand you seek the light of inspiration which is also fascinating. Nothing wrong with that. In a symbolic thought Ying Yang does exist. Many thanks for your comment and keep in touch. Peace.

AUTHOR

North Wind

4 years agofrom The World (for now)

Hello J-R-fr13m9n,

Thanks for reading the hub and for leaving a comment. I am not one for Far Eastern philosophy even though I have studied a bit of it. I do not believe in the inner god-force because I believe in the Holy Spirit. I suppose I could be viewed as someone with a closed mind and that is possible but because we live in a world where good and evil very blatantly exist I find that it is impossible to believe that Light cannot exist without darkness. I appreciate your candid response but I respectfully disagree with the Taoist worldview.

Thanks again for reading.

Jane Ramona Rynkiewicz Frieman

4 years agofrom Morris County, New Jersey

EDUCATION: The goal of education is to teach us how to think not what to think. Would you agree with that Far Eastern philosophy? When I first read that statement from a fortune cookie I found it to be outstandingly thought provoking. In my idealistic sense, that sentence should be the basis for modern education. Taoism, I find, is very philosophical, reasonable, and practical. Listen to the recordings of the late Stuart Wilde. View the statement of "Light cannot exist without Dark" from the view of the Taoist. It will be like opening a door and discovering the inner God-Force. In Taoist terms we are all a part of the God-Force. Taoism is also spiritual. It connects us with our inner God-Force through meditation. Spirituality and discipline through practice and meditation improves the spiritual, mental and physical health of the Taoist. Yin Yang, it is neither good nor bad. It is what it is.

AUTHOR

North Wind

5 years agofrom The World (for now)

Hello Pamela-anne,

I actually think that light can exist without darkness and that the two are separate. I know that the popular belief is the ying and yang thing but darkness cannot enter light at all, it can only look like it is a part of light when it really is not.

Pamela-anne

5 years agofrom Miller Lake

Loved your hub well written I guess one cannot be without the other like you cannot have the ying without the yang same with darkness and light thanks for sharing this powerful message God bless!

AUTHOR

North Wind

6 years agofrom The World (for now)

Hi Faith Reaper,

So very true, His children do not walk in darkness and all glory goes to Him!

Thank you for reading.

Faith Reaper

6 years agofrom southern USA

Wow, so powerful. Light and darkness cannot occupy the same space. Awesome hub. Voted Up Jesus is the light of the world and, we, as His children, are no longer in darkness! Praise Him. To God be the glory. In His Love, Faith Reaper

AUTHOR

North Wind

6 years agofrom The World (for now)

Thank you Caleb DRC,

I love that analogy and it is so very true....a single drop of dye. When you really think of it, it goes back to what Jesus said: A little leaven spoils the whole lump! To think that God shared His wisdom with us humbles me. There is nothing under the sun that is hidden from Him. His word is a lamp unto our feet and light unto our path.

Caleb DRC

6 years ago

A masterpiece of logic, my friend.

One sentence was outstanding for me, "Darkness cannot exist when light is present." J. Vernon McGee gave an analogy of how a single drop of dark dye can corrupt gallons of pure water, and yet it takes many gallons of pure water to make dark dye look pure. Even a small amount of Light( Word of God( John, chapter 1)) will extirpate darkness in any room. All of man's water( assinine philosophies) will not clean up the dye in hearts or society, but even a tiny amount of God's Word( Light) will go far in eradicating darkness in one's heart and society.

AUTHOR

North Wind

6 years agofrom The World (for now)

Hi Michele, I do agree with you. Light brings wisdom and darkness confusion. There is no darkness in heaven for God is there and His light is awesome to behold. Darkness cannot stand to be in His presence.

AUTHOR

North Wind

6 years agofrom The World (for now)

Hi teaches12345,

Thanks for reading.

I was actually trying to prove that only light exists in God and that there is no darkness at all within Him.

Michele Travis

6 years agofrom U.S.A. Ohio

Well written and scripture can prove it. When the new Heavens and New Earth are created there is no night in Paradise. Beautiful. Voted up.

Dianna Mendez

6 years ago

Well done and proven! Your scripture references to prove the fact that light and darkness can exist in God.

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